NYC-based playwright Stephen Brown is having quite the moment in South Florida. Boca’s Theatre Lab has/will run two of his recent plays and LITTLE MONTGOMERY (formerly known as “Country Girls”) is currently enjoying a Florida premiere by New City Players (NCP) at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors. If the name “Little Montgomery” rings a bell, you might have enjoyed listening to NCP’s highly creative serial podcast version back in 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
Ever since this skewing-young but extremely talented company’s inception seven years ago, they’ve managed to keep their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the world and what we, as a community, need … to understand, to be challenged by, to bond and feel transformed both through live theater and related outside events. From serious to invigorating to pure zany fun, no other theater company even comes close to hosting as many topical discussions led by professionals (The Forum), live storytelling nights (City Speaks) and play-writing workshops (NCP Lab) that are free and open to the public at friendly independent eateries ranging from coffee roasters to wings bars and cafes. Check their website and join their Facebook and Instagram pages for updates on all their cool get togethers.
New City Players’ ongoing mission “to build community” is more crucial in today’s divisive climate than ever. And it appears to be working. The overwhelmingly enthusiastic response of “Little Montgomery”’s packed opening night audience where retirees were, for once, a rarity gives me hope for theater’s future. If you know a movie fan who is hesitant about attending a live show, I’d recommend this one as the perfect icebreaker. The show is hilarious, fast-paced and surprising while also poignantly speaking to a young person’s search for identity, and the true meaning of friendship and family (biological or otherwise). Also, despite being of the highest professional caliber, NCP productions are affordable – whether or not one uses their weekday and student discounts.
Sheepshead County police to the rescue! Poor Police Chief Patty (Elizabeth Price, center) is forced to rely on her bumbling team of Timothy Mark Davis as Chet and Seth Trucks as Larry.
You’ll love them if you’re older too (yes, there’s a senior discount as well). Here’s how the company’s most senior company member – 40-year theater educator, notable actor, playwright and director Michael Gioia who did a phenomenal job as the play’s director – recommends “Little Montgomery.” “Many times, while going through the rehearsal process, Little Montgomery reminded me of my tumultuous adolescent escapades and made me laugh. I hope our story will affect you as well and take you back to memories of your own teenage adventures.”
Personally, I was curious about how what had been, in my mind, a radio play would now translate into a live show. (If you’ve seen NCP’s season opener, the “live” radio broadcast of “It’s a Wonderful Life” last December, you know they can work wonders in presenting a theatrical version of the old-time radio format. But I soon learned that this contemporary play didn’t hearken back to their podcast at all, which had been adjusted from the original script for audio. Their director wisely chose to go with Brown’s original, written-for-the-stage version. I’m glad I decided not to revisit their podcast as well so I could feel freshly immersed in all the visual richness – from the over-top expressions of their fantastic live actors (all distinguished company members recreating their podcast roles, alongside two local powerhouses) to the creative scenery, sound effects, and ongoing original guitar music now being played live. In short, a feast for ALL the senses.
Get to the plot already, you might be thinking. For those not in the know: What’s this play all about? I admit to procrastinating because I don’t want to reveal too much and a brief storyline will entice but can hardly do justice to all the serious and silly layers both close to and far beneath the surface that progressively come to life. But I’ll give it a go.
Feisty 16-year-old troublemaker Megan (Krystal Millie Valdes) of Sheepshead County, Texas, hatches a plot to sneak into country music star Rick Montgomery’s (Todd Bruno) dressing room during his concert and steal his late wife’s “valuable” guitar, then sell it for $20,0000 on eBay. She involves her best “soul” friend Kimmy (Casey Sacco) who is more law abiding and, initially, compassionate but wins her over with dreams of affording professional voice lessons from the sale. Things go from awkward to insane when their botched attempt at robbery turns into a kidnapping. Placing hard-bitten Police Chief Patty (Elizabeth Price), bumbling officer/also Megan’s dad Larry (Seth Trucks), and his inept protege Chet (Timothy Mark Davis) and his obsessive YouTube channel aspirations (“Cops: of Sheepshead County” anyone?) on the case.
Courting visions of fame, Casey Sacco sings her heart out to impress country music star Rick Montgomery, a bound-and-beaten Todd Bruno whose helpful honesty is far from appreciated.
The one liners and cat-and-mouse chase that follow are fast, furious and insanely funny. Hammers and guns are raised, bullets fly, there are some wounds – both physical and emotional – but dumb luck tends to save the day. Not to take away from a few acts of bravery and acceptance that culminate in a satisfying sense of personal growth.
Throughout, we are treated to the weird, wise, but always observant inner lives of teen girls – Megan faults her dad for being “weak” and not knowing (though he does) that his wife cheats on him. They also recognize and accept deep personal connections – Kimmy shares how a soul friend can break your heart in a million pieces by simply not talking to you for six hours. This doesn’t mean the girls aren’t prone to wild and impulsive, hormone-driven behavior.
Clueless Larry, who Megan wraps around her little finger by his need for dad love, is reprimanded by his superior officer when, upon tracing the getaway car model to her best-friend’s home, ignores the obvious. Or, as Chief Patty puts it: “Your teenage daughter with her teenage friend … two teenage girls we’re looking for.” When he insists that his daughter could never be a kidnapper, she sarcastically adds: “This is the same girl who set her school on fire two times. Accidentally.”
The father and teen daughter pairing every parent will recognize. Krystal Millie Valdes wants nothing to do with her “lame” loving dad, played by Seth Trucks.
Then Patty resignedly shares her assessment of his place on her police force. Unlike this thrice-divorced woman in her 40s with a take-no-prisoners approach to her personal and professional life, she informs Larry: “You are a desk cop. Not the guy who gets the bad guys.”
In the end, we discover that although, personality-wise, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, true family consists of far more than biology.
Downhome, original country-style music composed and played by guitarist Alex Joyel enhances all the scenes; you can barely see him at his perch in the front corner but you can hear him loud and clear. The songwriter of “Star Quality” and “Little Montgomery” is Eliza Simpson. Ernesto Gonzalez served as sound designer, Lovanni Gomez was lighting designer, Jordan Armstrong provided scenic design through evocative sets with a starry sky by scenic painter Jaclyn Fortiers, and multi-talented Casey Sacco was also the play’s costume designer.
Everyone involved in this performance did an excellent job and I can’t say enough in praise of the fantastic cast. Valdes and Sacco were totally believable as teens. I was impressed by Valdes’ performance as a 14-year-old years back in one of my earliest reviews (she retains the knack), and I just recently extolled her guitar-playing and singing as narrator Musica in Theatre Lab’s “Refuge.” When it comes to portraying emotion, she’s a superstar who cries real tears and always delivers. And I raved about Sacco’s song-and-dance talent as Young Lydia in Ronnie Larsen’s new musical “One More Yesterday” that recently ran at The Foundry next door. Seth Trucks is everywhere in South Florida, and plays a perfectly meek (at first) Larry, though I still fondly recall his royal side as the star of NCP’s “Macbeth.”
Hell hath no fury like an angry teen. Todd Bruno plays the accidental hostage of Krystal Millie Valdes and Casey Sacco in New City Players’ Florida premiere of LITTLE MONTGOMERY by Stephen Brown. Now cracking up audiences at Island City Stagein Wilton Manors. Photos by Ryan Arnst.
